Lounge Car After Dark/Diner Car After Service

[wintersummer]

I'm interested in knowing what happens in these two cars.

Specifically, what happens in lounge/sightsee-er car after the sun goes down? Do people just gather? Do they leave interior lights on? OR, do they turn lights off? If I went to sightsee-er car at say, 3 a.m., what would I find?

Same questions for the dining car. Is it "off-limits" OR open to use when not in service? What would be the non-service hours? For instance, is it possible to sit in dining car in the mid-afternoon and play cards?

I leave for my trip Empire Builder trip on Wednesday!

 

[nr272]

I don't know about the dining car, but on the sightseeing car it was open all times. I was on the Empire Builder a couple of weeks ago and I spent a few hours in the sightseeing car very early in the morning (around 2-5). There were a few other people in the car and if I recall correctly, there was some dim lighting.

 

[MrFSS]

Specifically, what happens in lounge/sightsee-er car after the sun goes down? Do people just gather? Do they leave interior lights on? OR, do they turn lights off? If I went to sightsee-er car at say, 3 a.m., what would I find?

I've not seen it myself, but have heard that some coach passengers try to sleep on the floor in the sightseer car. Don't know if the crew will always let them do that, but it may happen. I do know it is open all night for passengers.

 

[wintersummer]

nr272 - what could you see during those hours? I have planned my trip during full moon because I've heard that in really isolated areas, the moon illuminates the countryside. Is that true? That's one reason I was intrigued by the possibility of staying up at night.....

What about lighting? Did they leave that on OR is it lowered OR turned off?

 

[AmtrakCrescent20]

nr272 - what could you see during those hours? I have planned my trip during full moon because I've heard that in really isolated areas, the moon illuminates the countryside. Is that true? That's one reason I was intrigued by the possibility of staying up at night.....
What about lighting? Did they leave that on OR is it lowered OR turned off?

I'm not nr272 but I have experienced both Amfleet II and Superliner lounges at night. The Amfleet II's have bright lighting, and it remains on all night. In the Sightseer Lounges, the lighting is never very bright, and AFAIK is not dimmed, but the "lounge" seats on the upper level do have individual reading lights to some extent.

Also, at night, regardless of the moon, the train always casts a band of light onto the ground outside, allowing you to see your immediate surroundings. In case someone wonders about safety, I have never felt unsafe on an LD in the middle of the night--not in an empty lounge, diner, coach, or sleeper.

Finally, the Dining car is almost enevr open for general seating. During the day, the crew is always cleaning up, preparing for, serving a meal, or counting money, so they probably wouldn't let anyone use the tables. During the night, the tables are essentually "stripped" of their table cloths, flowers, condiments etc. and the conductors often use one as an "office". A friendly conductor might let you use one from, say, 10pm-6am when the dining car crew is not working there.

 

[RailFanLNK]

On the jampacked #6 last October, the train was 12 hours late, I went into the Observation Car at 8am and thought maybe Amtrak had hosted a slumber party. It looked like a budget hostel in my opinion. I have sat in there at dark to just be "alone" for awhile and not make eye contact or simple chat with anyone. Not that I'm against that, I was just re-fueling my social gas tank.

 

[JayPea]

I took the EB from Spokane to Portland last year, and, as I was stuck in assigned seating next to some guy who had the curtain pulled, I immediately escaped to the sightseer lounge. I work the graveyard shift at my job, so I was wide awake at the godawful hour the EB departs Spokane. As I recall, the lights were dimmed in the sightseer lounge, but not out completely, There were a handful of people in the car, many of whom were asleep. About 35-40 minutes out of Spokane, there's a several-miles-long lake, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the lake as we passed by. It was a beautiful sight! If I remember right, around 6AM the onboard staff made those who were asleep wake up.

 

[wintersummer]

On the jampacked #6 last October, the train was 12 hours late, I went into the Observation Car at 8am and thought maybe Amtrak had hosted a slumber party. It looked like a budget hostel in my opinion. I have sat in there at dark to just be "alone" for awhile and not make eye contact or simple chat with anyone. Not that I'm against that, I was just re-fueling my social gas tank.

That's sort of what I wanted...someplace to just spend some time alone (well, with my husband..but we can sit without talking and be happy!)

 

[nr272]

nr272 - what could you see during those hours? I have planned my trip during full moon because I've heard that in really isolated areas, the moon illuminates the countryside. Is that true? That's one reason I was intrigued by the possibility of staying up at night.....

What about lighting? Did they leave that on OR is it lowered OR turned off?

I'm not nr272 but I have experienced both Amfleet II and Superliner lounges at night. The Amfleet II's have bright lighting, and it remains on all night. In the Sightseer Lounges, the lighting is never very bright, and AFAIK is not dimmed, but the "lounge" seats on the upper level do have individual reading lights to some extent.

Also, at night, regardless of the moon, the train always casts a band of light onto the ground outside, allowing you to see your immediate surroundings. In case someone wonders about safety, I have never felt unsafe on an LD in the middle of the night--not in an empty lounge, diner, coach, or sleeper.

That's pretty much how I remembered it. Also, if you are going through a city or small town that is lit-up, you will be able to see much more outside.

 

[Guest]

Have fun Wintersummer! And let us know all about it. My husband and I will be doing the same at the end of Sept. I haven't taken an LD since I was five (and that was during The War... WWII that is :blink: )

Cheers

 

[battalion51]

Some form of lighting is required at all times in every car that is accessible to passengers in case of emergency. This is why there is dim lighting (or even full lighting) in cars like the diner/lounge when they aren't being used at night.